we have a story of one man's generosity that will have you smiling this morning. what he did that left strangers speechless. all about it on this thursday, december 6th. "good morning maryland," i'm charlie crowson. >> and i'm megan pringle. thank you for joining us. it is not like it has been the rest of the week. >> no. >> so if you haven't stepped outside yet or taken the dog out for a walk, be prepared. you're going to need a coat. >> exactly a shock to the system. if you're not listening in this morning. megan because we have some very cold temperatures out there. and we are different because we are dry today. and it's going to stay that way as we look at maryland's most powerful radar. as of now, the dry weather is here. and it is here to stay for a little while. we will have some change in the forecast. but the bigger story? the temperatures. it's cold. look at the 26 degrees in glenelg right now. 31 catonsville and 32 arnold. we are going to have those winds out of the northwest light in nature about 5 to 10 miles an hour throughout the day. and it won't be as blustery as it was yesterday but this is what you can expect by lunchtime. 42 degrees.

lots of sunshine in the forecast. but the sunshine really not going to warm us up as we go into the afternoon. 3:00, 44. cold degrees. let's get a check now of the abc2 timesaver traffic with lauren cook. good morning. good morning lynette. well we have some trouble in anne arundel county. we have some malfunctioning traffic lights on crane highway in glen burnie. so they're going to be right at hospital drive and mayo road. it's extremely important for you to treat these intersections as a four way stop. and more trouble in baltimore scan county. we have a crash right now on liberty road at old court road. a look at the beltway in the area, that outer loop really starting to slow down do expect a 13 minute ride right now from 795 down to 95. and matters could get worse because we have a crash at interstate 70. here's a look at the east side of the beltway traffic moving right along here in parkville. no problems up to towson. just an 11 minute ride right now from the outer loop up to 83. if you are using the jfx to get downtown, everything up to speed just 11 minutes to travel southbound from the beltway all

the way to fayette street. that's a look at your abc2 timesaver traffic. megan and charlie, over to you. the u.s. supreme court hears a highly personal custody case today and this is something it rarely does. >> it could be the last chance for u.s. army sergeant to fight for his daughter in united states' courts. eris chaffin is a 5-year-old in the middle of a custody battle of two parents. it's a complicated legal fight dealing with international borders and treaties. a federal judge ruled the mother could legally take the child back to scott land. if the father can appeal decisi of the country. >> this is a case that has immediate significant long- lasting impact for every parent in america. >> it's caught the attention of two republican senators but neither would say they'll introduce legislation addressing any of the issues discussed. well, a bitter battle is now playing out over a girl who

was adopted and her biological father who never knew she existed. terry while he was stationed in south carolina his ex-wife was giving birth in utah. he was never told he was going to be a father or that his baby girl was being given up for adoption. >> he knew i was pregnant. he left while i was showing, i was 7 months pregnant and i was -- i was sick for three days straight i was in that home with no food with my baby girl. >> a judge ordered the girl's adoptive parents to give the girl back within 60 days but they're now fighting that decision. a judge ordered one man to stop having children. corey carotis is charged with -- curtis is charged with failure to support two of his nine children with six women. he owes roughly $85,000 including interest. curtis says he has been making payments for the last two years says he has a good relationship with his kids. news time now 6:33. and police are trying to figure

out exactly how a police officer's service weapon was fired inside an emergency room. at st. joseph's medical center in towson. a baltimore county police officer was guarding a prisoner who needed a medical treatment in the e. r.. then yesterday afternoon a member of the staff noticed the prisoner had a needle hidden in his clothing. the prisoner tried to grab the employee and when the officer stepped in the prison eluent for the service weapon. >> the prisoner attempted to take her weapon. there was a struggle over the gun. and at some point the weapon discharged firing a shot into the wall. >> other officials were not hospital and they stepped in to subdue the suspect after the shot was fired. thankfully no one was injured. 6:34 right now. and f-15 fighter pilot with the florida national guard rattled some nerves and also some windows when he put an air show in an iowa neighborhood. he was flying low. really low. right over the tops of homes.

so people who live in the area thought that plane was was headed right for them. >> the windows were rattling and it -- was definitely a wakeup call. it was very close. very, very -- way closer than it ever should have been. for any reason. >> it felt like it was right on top of me yes. >> witness says the show lasted about 0 seconds and air -- 30 seconds can aircraft must fly at least 1,000 feet over a populated area. the florida national guard contacted that pilot. they say an investigation is now underway and that the pilot was sent on a commercial flight back to florida. the pilot was headed from jacksonville to sioux city. so his jet could get painted. one act of kindness can really make a difference. a secret santa decided to spread some holiday cheer by paying off people's layaway accounts at an arizona wal- mart. santa focused in on the customers trying to pay off the toys. the secret santa ended up paying off layaway bills for 20 wal-mart customers and even workers in the situation were

left speechless. >> it's emotional for us too. i mean you know some of the people that i work in layaway when these individuals come to pick up their layaways they're crying. >> as is often the case, the good samaritan santa has asked to remain anonymous. there's a new smell in the air in washington state. >> that smell of marijuana. a new law goes into effect today that allows you to smoke but there are some restrictions, we'll tell you what's going on. >> also this morning citigroup is cutting jobs to save money. we're going to run the numbers by you and see if you think it's maybe a little high.

news time 6:9. you saw her singing the models on the runway earlier this week. >> now rihanna is jumping into the fashion world with her own

reality show. she's going to produce and star in a fashion series for style. and the show is called "styled to rock." it's going to search for the next great fashion designer. a casting call sunday way right now nationwide -- is underway right now nationwide. it premieres next year. "seinfeld" fans a familiar face returning to the small screen. cramer is back. michael richards has been cast in a tv land pilot called "giant baby." kirstie alley and rhea perlman will also star. it's about a man who hopes to have a relationship with the mother who gay him up for adoption -- gave him up for adoption. fantasyland becomes a reality. the massive expansion happening at the happiest place on earth. >> first stop d.c. then on to jon stewart. new jersey's governor is on a worldwide trip as he tries to get more support for his state. >> we are under mainly cloudy skies right now. but we have changes on the way. what that entails coming up. >> we have a crash on the westbound side of the beltway and another in anne arundel county on 97.

more on the delays coming up on "good morning maryland."

good thursday morning, this is your abc2 news to go. i'm megan pringle. >> and i'm charlie crowson. and here's meteorologist lynette charles. >> it's cold out there this morning charlie that's for sure. we need all the layers and keep the layers on as we go throughout the day. we can see these temperatures coming in in the mid 20s in glenelg. the dew point of 20. and we have the winds out of the north this morning. that will continue right through the afternoon. hickory's temperature is at 28 degrees right now. and our last stop is mount airy coming in at 28 make sure you have the big coat with you. you can have the hat, the gloves, the scarf. you will need it all but you will not need that rain gear for today. we will stay dry. and this is what the planner looks like lots of sunshine in

the forecast. with a high of 44. let's get a check now of the abc2 timesaver traffic with lauren cook. good morning. good evening lynette. we have some trouble in anne arundel county. we are dealing with a crash on 97. it's going to believe right along the southbound -- to be right along the southbound lanes at generals highway. unfortunately problems persist in baltimore county. we have a water main break right now in catonsville. maiden choice lane will be closed at tanglewood road. stick with the beltway at the alternate route. 695, west side crash has just cleared. but unfortunately we are left with some delays. here's a life look at liberty road. it's going to take you the 15 minutes right now to travel the outer loop from 795 down to 95. and here's what the beltway looks like in parkville at harford road. traffic also starting to pick up. but you're only looking at a 12 minute ride right now traveling from 95 up to 83. the inner loop will be nice and clear down to 95. that's a lack at your abc2 timesaver traffic. megan and charlie, over to you. we have breaking news to tell you about right now. crews are still investigating

the cause of a two alarm fire that has killed a man. this happened in baldwin in the 5600 block of sweet air road just after midnight. there were no hydrants near the home so water was shuttled in. the fire was under control around 2:30 this morning. two firefighters had to be hospitalized for minor injuries. they are expected to be okay. many couples very waiting for this -- have been waiting for this for a lifetime. >> and abc2 news' sherrie johnson is live downtown with more on this developing story. and this is a big day. >> reporter: this is a huge day. we are live in front of the courthouse where many same sex couples are expected to line up today to get a marriage license. so should be a pretty busy place today. even though same sex couples will have the license they won't actually be able to tie the knot until january 1st. the governor is expected to formally ratify the election results allowing clerks to hand out marriage certificates today. the clerk of course can choose

not to issue licenses until january 2nd. one of the compromises proponents of same sex marriage struck to get enough votes in the house of delegates was a provision that prevented the new law from taking effect before midnight, december 31st. attorney general doug gansler said that clerks may issue licenses as soon as the governor approved same sex marriage approved by voters which he's doing today. they cannot be effective before midnight on january 1st. reporting live in downtown baltimore, sherrie johnson, abc2 news. and we've got breaking news for you just into the abc2 news room. kate middleton is out of the hospital. the pregnant duchess was released this morning. the duchess' pregnancy is still in the early stages and she's not yet passed the first trimester and the palace is not going to announce a due date for the baby. it will be next in line to the british throne after the royal dad prince william and grand

dad prince charles. it's official. recreational pot is now legal in washington state. beginning today, adults can now possess up to an ounce of pot but growing it and selling it is still a crime. voters passed the initiative last month. there are still several loopholes that could kill that buzz. one state attorney says it's not yet clear if anyone can legally buy it. the white house spokesperson says smoking pot is still a federal crime. today a federal appeals court in virginia is set to reconsider the constitutionality of two ordinances that require maryland anti-abortion pregnancy centers to post certain disclaimers. the law requires pregnancy counseling centers that don't provide abortions or birth control to post disclaimers stating so. the greater baltimore center for pregnancy concerns and a woman's greater center in montgomery county say those ordinances they violate their free speech rights. we'll keep you posted on what happens. news time 6:48. and the world is watching syria this morning amid fears that country has bombs now armed with deadly gas. this is extremely toxic and just a tiny drop can kill a

person in a matter of minutes. the use of chemical weapons could trigger reaction now from the united states. >> we have sent a -- an unmistakable message that this would cross a red line and those responsible would be held to account. >> opposition forces are making gains that could eventually trigger a shift in the conflict. the u.s. state department believes president's assad representatives are now trying to find applies to go into exile. an accused drunk driver became dangerously close to hitting a police officer. take a look at this. a pickup truck on the left side of your screen, you can see it sitting right there it crosses over on the wrong side of the road and look at it. it is heading right towards the police car and a near miss. that officer had just gotten out of his car to pick something up that had fallen on the ground on the passenger's side on the floor. when he looked up he saw this and he called in for backup. >> i got a car up on a -- it's

a ford cable. it came within about a foot of hitting me. >> the woman admitted to taking medications and narcotics. this is her second driving offense. okay you may do a double take when you see this video. on his way out the door today new york representative maurice hundred chi passed jesus. not really crease but he looked a lot -- christ but he looked like him. it was part of faith in action. the members staged a live nativity yesterday morning. news time right now ten minutes from 7:00. five things to know today. new jersey governor chris christie travels to washington to ask for for money to help from the recovery for hurricane sandy. a big donation for komen maryland today. the anne arundel county firefighters are giving the group $10,000. firefighters wore pink uniform shirts adorned with the pink ribbon. citigroup is cutting 11,000 jobs in an effort to slash costs. that's about 4% of its work force. the move is expected to save

the company $900 million in 2013. and more than $1 billion annually starting in 2014. >> all right, time to pack up, we're going to florida! the new fantasyland opens up for the magic kingdom park today. it's the largest expansion in the park's history. it's adding places like gaston's victimmage and the be our guest restaurant. next year fedex will offer employees up to two years' pay to leave the company. the company says this is an effort to cut costs by nearly $2 billion a year. the changes at the shipping giant are in response to a customer shift away from premium package delivery services. well, happy 55th anniversary to burger king's whopper. the fast food chain is selling the burger for 55 cents but there's a catch. you first have to buy a full priced whopper. then the second one is 55 cents. that deal is good through this coming sunday. all right parents listen up. a popular infant recliner is being flagged as dangerous. we're going to show you a

picture of wait looks like. it's -- what it looks like. it's called the nap nanny and they are taking action against the company that makes it. they say that five infant deaths have been reported from the product. the agency wants that company to notify the public ability a serious product defect and to offer consumers a full refund as well. the news time is now 6:52 and louis armstrong said it best. what a wonderful world and these are pictures to now prove it. never before seen images from nasa taken from satellite. they are spanning across africa to asia are being collected in a new nasa e-book called "earth as art." it's available in hard cover, electronically and as an app it will be free. now let's take a look at the planet as a whole. the image was made from the data taken from the new satellite and according to nasa the view was constructed from the satellite's high resolution night images and then mapped over existing images of earth and as you can see the new image is completely cloud-free. the glowing you see across the

planet is both part of natural and man made lights. i would like to see new york city in that. >> i like to see afternoon den 34th tree. this time of year you need the warm clothes and some people simply can't afford them. so baltimore city public works officials they're helping out. they're accepting mittens, caps, gloves and scarves. it's part of the 39th annual mitten tree collection. it's taking place today at the municipal building. they will be donated through the franklin square boy and girls club. kids in our community need a merry christmas too. so abc2 once again is a proud sponsor of kinder time toy drive. you can drop them off at the sister station and any baltimore county fire department, and many other locations in the area. if you'd like a full list, just head to abc2news.com. we have all the dropoff areas listed on the website. 'tis the season for giving. i'm in the mood. you're in the mood. hopefully you're in the mood too. lynette it appears the weather is starting to cooperate with the season.

>> it is is a ask a lot of people are happy about that. that makes me happen my. not a whole lot in term of rain. no type of cloud cover out there morning. we are under the inflounce of high pressure. bel air showing you exactly that. a beautiful sunrise this morning. get out and enjoy it. but, yes, you hear the but there. don't forget to bundle up because we can see these temperatures are very cold. they are below average this morning in ellicott city coming in at 29 degrees. reisterstown 30. we're at 30 degrees in rock hall and havre de grace coming in at 30 degrees as well. bundle up throughout the day and you will stay that way into the afternoon. we have high pressure in place. but that will begin to slide off towards the east. and once it does, well, we'll start to have a few more clouds moving in here. so that southerly flow is going to make it a little bit more mild as we go into the evening time frame. but still will believe cold just won't be as cold as it was this morning. now we have the chance for some rain showers into tomorrow as

well to work their way in here. we'll be more change in the forecast for us. for today though, no type of rain. just mostly sunny skies and cold temperatures. the cold will persist even through tonight. with more cloud cover. by tomorrow that temperature coming in at 50 with showers possible. and the seven day forecast looks like this, as mild weather will move back into the picture look hat the 60s as we head into saturday. let's get a check now of the abc2 timesaver traffic with lauren cook. good morning. good morning lynette. very cold for the monument lighting tonight in mount vernon. unfortunately on the road trouble in baltimore county with a water main break in catonsville that's shut down maiden choice lane between garden ridge road and tanglewood road. stick with beechwood or 695 as the alternate routes. you'll notice heavy delays here on the outer loop at old court road. all due to the earlier accident at 70 there's a five minute delay right now on the outer loop from 795 down to 95.

here's what 83 looks like in hunt valley. the southbound lanes just starting to pick up here at shawan road. megan and charlie, over to you. four minutes away from 7:00. what can your dog do? climb a tree, chase a cat? >> look at me like i'm crazy? >> how about driving. look at this. three dogs in new zealand have been taught to do just that. after three weeks of training the canines have finally been allowed to get behind the wheel and yes, monty, jenny and porter, they get a little help from their handlers, i would hope so. on monday monty's driving it builts will be tested -- abilities will be tested live on new zealand television. >> but why? >> that's awesome though. >> i don't think that's right. >> leave them alone. >> would you let velvet? >> no he's not supposed to drive. he's a dog. be happy. >> no way. >> i'll get her behind the wheel. she's so tiny though. >> oscar would look at me ask

say dude you're the driver -- and say dude. you're the driver, let's go. [ captions by: caption colorado, llc 800-775-7838 email: comments@captioncolorado.com ]